Kid Flash (Bart Allen)
History Origin Bart Allen was born to Don Allen, the son of Barry Allen, the second Flash, and his wife Meloni, the daughter of President Thawne of Earth and descendant of the evil Professor Zoom and Cobalt Blue in the late 30th century. Bart was born with his grandfather's speed. He had incredibly high metabolism and also aged at hyper speed. When he was two years old, he physically looked twelve. The Thawne family had hated the Allen family for hundreds of years. President Thawne had the Dominators kill Don and his twin sister, Dawn. The Dominators kidnapped Bart, who was later captured by Earthgov for observation. The scientists of Earthgov raised him in a virtual reality environment so that he aged as swiftly mentally as he did physically. Bart was going to die of old age and Earthgov was not doing anything to fix his problem. His grandmother Iris took him away and brought him back to The 20th Century, so that her nephew, Wally West, the third Flash, could show him how to control his speed. He adopted the identity Impulse. After Wally helped him solve his problem and Bart helped him to defeat Kobra, Bart moved to Manchester, Alabama with Max Mercury. Wally had used his connections to supply Bart with a birth certificate, etc. Bart began the ninth grade at Manchester Junior High. He managed to make quite a few friends, chief among them Carol Bucklen. Max continued to train him in the art of superspeed, having him run obstacle courses while dodging axes and knives, solving jigsaw puzzles in mid-air, and the like. During this time, he became one of the founding members of Young Justice. Following Max's disappearance, he was taken in by Jay Garrick, the first Flash, and his wife Joan. Kid Flash Following the breakup of Young Justice, Bart joined the new Teen Titans. He soon had his kneecap blown out by Deathstroke (who was at the time possessed by Jericho) and replaced with an artificial one. While recovering, Bart read every single book in the San Francisco Public Library and reinvented himself as the new Kid Flash. Even with the artificial kneecap, he could still run close to light speed. After Superboy-Prime attacked Conner Kent (Superboy) in Smallville and injured or killed many Teen Titans, Bart joined with Wally West and Jay Garrick to stop the rampage of Superboy-Prime by running him at top speed into the Speed Force. Jay reached his limit before entering the Speed Force and Wally turned into energy and vanished, leaving Bart alone with Superboy-Prime. Barry Allen, Johnny Quick and Max Mercury, all of whom had previously been absorbed into the Speed Force, appeared and aided Bart. After taking Superboy-Prime into the Speed Force, Barry told Bart that "Wally is waiting for you". After they disappeared, Jay claimed that the Speed Force was gone. A speedster wearing Barry's costume returned in Tokyo shortly thereafter to warn of the return of Superboy-Prime. This same Flash, still wearing Barry Allen's costume, would appear in the middle of the Battle of Metropolis against the army of escaped supervillains. Superboy-Prime reveals that the person in the Flash costume is Bart Allen, years older. Bart explains to the nearby Wonder Girl (who is surprised by her fellow Titan's transformation) that his grandfather's uniform was the only thing that could survive the trip back from where he had been, and that he was the only one there "who could still run". Bart then unleashed his anger against Superboy Prime for killing Conner Kent, pummeling him at superspeed and forcing Superboy to retreat from the battle. When the crisis is over, Bart explained to Jay that he spent years in an unknown dimension where he grew older. Bart confirmed that the Speed Force was destroyed and he used up the residual speed locked in his body fighting in Metropolis. He gave Barry's costume to Jay and says Jay was now the fastest man alive again. The Flash Bart shunned his super-heroic past for the next year. He got a job working at Keystone Motors and began sharing an apartment with another young man named Griffin Grey. However, he was still connected to the Speed Force, but the connection threatened to kill him. S.T.A.R. Labs modified one of his grandfather's old costumes to help him control his connection. While at first he refused to don the costume, he finally gave in and became the fourth Flash. As the Scarlet Speedster, he managed to defeat Griffin who had been driven insane by his new powers. He also began a relationship with S.T.A.R. Labs employee Valerie Perez but soon after, Bart decided to get a fresh start and moved to Los Angeles, applying for a job in forensics in their police department. Inertia hired the Rogues to help him build a device in Los Angeles with the purpose of transferring the Speed Force from Bart to himself. Despite warnings from his grandmother, Bart confronted them. The machine was successful in removing his powers, but in doing so, it threatened to detonate with the energy of several atomic bombs. Bart continued to fight, after seeing the Black Flash, and believed that there was a still a chance he could survive if Inertia died. He attacked Inertia with uncanny skill but the Rogues, fearing what would happen if his powers were returned, all fired at him with their respective weapons at once. Bart sacrificed himself heroically, distracting the Rogues while Val deactivated the machine, saving millions of lives. A funeral was held for Bart in a stadium in Keystone City. It was attended by a large number of costumed heroes and televised around the world. Eulogies were given by Jay Garrick, who revealed Bart's secret identity to the world, and Bart's former teammates Cyborg, Wonder Girl, and Robin. The funeral ended with the presentation of a video he had recorded shortly after becoming Kid Flash, to be shown in the event of his death. The Return from The Dead When the Legion of the 31st Century came back to the past, the Justice League thought that the return of Wally West was the culmination of their efforts, yet it was only a happy side-effect. Using his lightning rod Brianiac 5 was able to capture the essence of Bart Allen. Returning to the future, he found his Legion beset by Superboy Prime and the Villains he had assembled to destroy them. After calling forth other Legions to help them from alternate Universes, Brainy prepared to implement the second of his three stages in his psychological war against Prime. Gathering all of the lightning wielders of the 3 Legions in their headquarters he also gathered along with Bart's cousin XS, and Light Lass. He had XS run along the Cosmic Tredmill which was connected to the lightning rod, and while Light Lass used her power to keep her from becoming a singularity, and had the Lightning Twins hit her with their power. Bart found himself in the 31st Century along with his cousin and the members of the Legion. Taking the Flash Ring offered to him. Dressing himself, Kid Flash launched himself at Superboy Prime, ready to continue the fight they had started long ago after Prime had escaped the Speed Force. While Bart and XS combated Superboy Prime, using his "Flash Phobia" against him, Brainy explained that the reason for Bart's return to his age before he had traveled into the Speed Force was because after being in the Speed Force, Bart's metabolism turned him into an adult, a cancer to his body. When he died, he was cured of the aging cancer, effectively transforming him back to his teenage state. Bart joined the Legions of three alternate realities against the psychotic Kryptonian. Their battle led them to the Fortress of Solitude where Brainiac 5 enacted his third stage of his plan. Before Bart's eyes, his friend and former teammate, Conner Kent, better known as Superboy, returned from the dead. The two friends continued the fight with Prime which eventually led to him being sent back to Earth-Prime, powerless. After the fight, Bart explained that a strange feeling had come over in his connection with the Speed Force and he believed it was because his old mentor, Max Mercury had also returned. He then offered to take his cousin home to the present with him but XS wished to stay in the 31st Century. Bart and XS used the cosmic treadmills to send the alternate Legions back home before Kid Flash, Superman, and Superboy all returned to their time. Bart and Conner visited the Titans Tower where old friends and teammates awaited them. Bart shared an embrace with Wally and all was well. The Flash: Rebirth thumb|left|200px|Bart discusses his bitterness over Barry's return with his friends When Bart returned to the present, he quickly discovered that things had changed significantly since he had been away. Barry Allen, his grandfather and legendary speedster who had sacrificed himself against the battle with the Anti-Monitor, had also returned from the grave. At The Teen Titans Tower West, where Robin and Wonder Girl had planned a welcome home party for Bart while everyone else was at the parades for Barry, Bart viewed his grandfather's return with skepticism, admitting a desire for things to "go back to the way it used to be". He wished that Wally was still the primary Flash and he would still be his sidekick. Bart's bitterness though centered on feeling angry that Barry was the only one to escape the Speed Force and his former mentor, Max Mercury had not. Bart was soon distracted by other matters though when his grandfather had killed the speedster, Savitar, by merely touching him, everyone connected by the Speed Force was struck with severe pain. Bart was then checked out by Robin while the others were observed by the JLA and the JSA. When Barry Allen had accidentally killed another with a touch yet again, it was revealed that he was now the new Black Flash. The JLA and JSA worked together to contain Barry in a machine that would severe his tie to the Speed Force. Bart rushed to the scene and confronted Barry over the reason why Max had not returned with him but his grandfather could not provide an answer. The Black Flash part of Barry quickly took over, shattering the machine and attempting to reach out to the speedsters, including Bart, in the area. Barry was rushed away by his friends as Bart, Wally, Iris, and Jay could only look on. Superman told Bart and the others that Barry had decided to run back into the Speed Force so he wouldn't hurt any of them. Wally decided to go follow Barry and bring him back and Bart asked him to bring back Max if he could. Shortly after Wally left, Linda contacted Jay and Bart to tell them that Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, was at her house attacking Jai and Iris.thumb|left|100px|Bart ties up Thawne Bart and Jay rushed to the scene, fighting Thawne through the city, crashing through the parade supplies that had been set up. During their fight, Thawne criticized Bart for being a pollutant in the line due to being a descendant of both an Allen and a Thawne. He best Bart with ease and just as he was about to stab him with his staff, lightning struck and Max Mercury suddenly returned from the Speed Force, ready to defend his protege. Bart was shocked and overjoyed by his mentor's return. Wally and Barry returned as well and the group of speedsters charged the Reverse-Flash, ready for a fight. Bart took part in the fight against Thawne with his family, showing great excitement toward Max' revival. He explained to his old teacher some of the things that had happened since Max had been gone, such as reading through a whole library and being the only speedster to actually remember it all. Bart and Max worked together to rescue civilians from the Reverse-Flash's onslaught. When Iris arrived, she greeted Bart with great enthusiasm, having thought Bart was extremely cool since only recently meeting him. When, Wally helped everyone regenerate their outfits, Iris even created a new Impulse outfit and took the identity for herself to both Bart and Wally's utter surprise. After Wally and Barry save Iris from the Reverse-Flash in the past, they bring him back to the present, where Bart, the other speedsters, and various heroes, rebuild the machine they were going to use to sever Barry's connection to the Speed Force and use it on Thawne. Once he's depowered, they make sure not to let him become mobile, because if he does, the Negative Speed Force will kick back in. Bart ties him up in chains and then the entire family joins in on the celebrations that Barry had refused to go to. Bart really seemed to be enjoying himself, waving at the crowd beside his returned mentor, Max. thumb|left|Bart as a Black Lantern|150px The Blackest Night thumb|right|Free of the Black Ring|175px When the Black Power Rings descended to Earth and raised the dead from their graves, transforming them into evil Black Lanterns, Bart helped the Teen Titans fight their newly revived teammates. They managed to withstand the Black Lantern assault and then traveled to Coast City to help Barry who had discovered the Black Lantern Central Power Battery and their leader Nekron. When Bart arrived, he, Barry, and Wally tried an attempt at rescuing the captive Guardians of the Universe and although they got close, they were intercepted by Scar, the renegade Guardian. Nekron revealed that he had allowed all of the heroes who had been resurrected in the past to return to life and that they were still under his control. A Black Lantern 'Batman' spat out black rings that went on anyone had ever died and returned's fingers, including Bart's. He was transformed into a Black Lantern and immediately attacked Barry and Wally, taunting them with horrible words. While fighting, Wally, he tried vibrating his arm through him to kill him but when he did, they both got linked by the Speed Force and the true Bart spoke to Wally briefly, in tears, telling him that he didn't mean anything he had been saying as a Black Lantern. The Black Power Ring severed the link and Bart continued on his rampage. Wally told Barry about what happened and that it was up to Barry, who remained hesitant because he still didn't really know his grandson that well. He vibrated into Bart anyway and the two spoke, Bart in a trans-like state where he accepted that he was now dead. Barry told him this wasn't true and that although the two didn't know each other very well yet, he wanted to know Bart as his grandson. He removed his mask and this snapped Bart out of it, embracing his grandfather. The connection was severed and Bart was back to his normal self, telling Wally and Barry that the Black Lanterns were converging on Coast City. Post FlashPoint :Main article: Kid Flash (Bar Torr) In the world created after Flashpoint, Bar Torr from the 30th Century hid on 21st Century Earth but he was actually Bart Allen. Powers and Abilities Powers *'Speed Force' **'Accelerated Healing': Speed Force conduits are not invulnerable nor durable enough to sustain damage however if they are harmed they will heal at high speeds. Any normal wear and tear damage to their bodies are almost instantly healed. **'Decelerated Aging': Speed Force conduits have a slowed aging process. This power can be imparted on their most intimate loved ones by extended contact rather than distribution. **'Energy Construct Creation': Speed Force conduits can use the matter generated by their speed to create solid objects such as walls or bridges. This power requires constant concentration and reapplication of the construct for it to remain stable. Flash's after images are also construct creations. **'Flight': Speed Force conduits can rotate their arms and spin their bodies like tops to achieve something of a kind of helicopter flight. However, with practice conduits can even achieve controllable flight if launched at high speeds. Despite their flight abilities they are always faster on their feet. **'Increased Perceptions': Speed Force conduits traveling at the speed of sound may miss important events as they run by. The Speed Force grants them enhanced senses that allow them to see, hear, smell, touch and/or taste at an increased speed and understand it as it is processed. **'Infinite Mass Punch': Speed Force conduits have an increased level of strength added to their bodies which they can impart in different ways. Certain speedsters can strength each and every move they make however this requires attention and stress for each movement and therefore is almost never used. In most cases conduits can focus the Speed Force's extra-dimensional energies into one massive punch; when used in practiced this punch pushed a metahuman from one continent to another. **'Phasing': Speed Force conduits can vibrate their molecules so quickly that they can achieve intangibility for short bursts allowing them to phase through objects. **'Self Sustenance': Speed Force conduits travel at incredible speeds which cause their bodies to work overtime. In situations where their bodies may be too fast for them to breathe they may impart on the Speed Force for sustenance. However, this almost always results in the conduits having an increased metabolism at all times requiring them to constantly refill their energy supplies. **'Sharing The Force': Speed Force conduits can allow their friends or family members to run along side them at their equaled speeds. Certain conduits who may only have minor access to the Force may achieve full levels of the Force due to the main conduit's association with it. **'Speed Force Aura': People who are propelled by the conduits during high speed situations can survive the harsh conditions associated with mach speeds. When the conduit must rescue an individual from a burning building these individuals will be protected while within the aura. **'Speed Force Conduit': People who, for whatever reason, are connected to the Speed Force are sometimes called Speed Force Conduits. This means that they are connected to the Speed Force and are tethered to it. Some characters may control their Speed Force imparted powers in different ways such as only Superhuman Strength or even directed through Lighting but no matter their adaptions they are still connected to the Force. **'Steal Speed': Speed Force conduits can steal the accelerated motion or momentum from objects or people to reduce their speed or even virtually stop them. Conduits may also steal the speed from other Speedsters or other fast moving people. **'Supercharged Brain Activity': Sometimes neglected by Speedsters who only operate at superhuman speeds and never slow down enough to understand their full potential; Speedsters can access superhuman levels in their brains further than processing information. They can test theories, understand difficult equations and run trial and error in their brains at superhuman speeds. Different conduits access this activity in different ways. **'Superhuman Stamina': Speed Force conduits have to access the Speed Force for a number of different tasks. Most Speedsters use their superhuman speed and react at superhuman speeds; therefore, they must run for extended periods or operate for a large amount of time. Their bodies can handle the stresses of superhuman racing without noticeable distress. **'Superhuman Speed': Speed Force conduits have one main ability above all else. Conduits are connected to the barrier and accumulation of all Speed known in their universe. These characters immediately understand how to run at superhuman speeds and their bodies instinctively understand how to react at high-speed situations. Older speedsters have a reduced but maxed speed of 770mph which is just below sonic booms allowing them to react to situations without causing civilians undo stress. Speedsters in their prime can travel at much faster speeds such as the max level of recorded aided speed on Earth and even reach the speed of light with enough willpower. It is possible for conduits to travel much faster than the speed of light however such levels require an incredible amount of stress. Speedsters unaccustomed to their max level of speeds may detach themselves from the Speed Force or even become part of the Speed Force by accident. **'Vortex Creations': Speed Force conduits that plant themselves on the ground and rotate their extremities can cause an incredible amount of wind to burst through their focused funnel. Most Speedsters use this ability automatically when they run reducing the air currents around their body to low enough levels to no longer inhibit their speed. Creatively, Speedsters can create tornadoes and gusts with their arms. Former Powers *'Time Scouts': Also known as Speed Scouts are energy like avatars of himself which he could create then send through the time stream, then absorb their memories when they returned. Abilities *'Photographic Memory': Unlike other speedsters, Bart has a true photographic memory; that is, he can permanently remember everything he has ever read, seen or heard (other speedsters generally lose that information almost as fast as they gain it). For several issues after this revelation, Bart was shown spouting encyclopedic information concerning the situation at hand. *'Multilingualism': Bart can speak both English and Interlac fluently (he hardly ever makes use of the latter, despite it technically being his native language), and presumably more on a basic level due to his speed-learning. Equipment *Costume Ring Former Equipment *Black Lantern Power Battery *White Lantern Power Battery Weapons Former Weapons *Black Lantern Power Ring *White Lantern Power Ring See Also *Kid Flash (Bart Allen)/Gallery In Other Media Smallville :See: Impulse (Kyle Gallner) Young Justice :See: Impulse (Young Justice) Notes *Bart's First Appearance as Kid Flash was Teen Titans (Vol 3) #4. *His First Appearance as The Flash was The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive (Vol 1) #2. *Bart Died in his Final Appearance in The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #13 *Wally West has said Bart is faster than all Speedsters put together in The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive (Vol 1) #2. Alternate Timelines Titans of Tomorrow In this storyline, Bart assumed the mantle of the Flash after the current Flash died in a "Crisis". In this alternate future, he was able to steal the speed of others, a power he used on his past self. At first, he appeared to be working with the Titans of Tomorrow, but was secretly spying on those Titans on the behalf of the resistance group formed by the Cyborg of this alternate future, Titans East. In this future, Bart had a romantic relationship with Rose Wilson, the Ravager. Dark Tomorrow After the death of Max Mercury and Helen Claiborne, Bart and his girlfriend, Carol Bucklen, travel back to future to be with Barts Mother. Carol begins to study the source of Bart's powers, the speed force to benefit the Human race. But Bart's grandfather, President Thawne, uses the research to strengthen his army stronger. He makes Super speed soldiers. An Adult Carol and Bart manage pull their younger self mainstream Bart and Carol into the future, when they return to their time, Bart prevents Max's and Helen's deaths to stop this future from ever happening. Trivia *Bart has been quoted on several occasions stating that he would never become Kid Flash. *Bart once shaved his head. Due to his accelerated metabolism, his hair grew back fairly quickly. *Bart once had a Green Lantern tattoo on his left shoulder, as a means of helping to secure his secret identity as Kid Flash. However, due to his accelerated healing, his skin perceived the tattoo ink as a poison and quickly purged it from his system. *Bart was originally slated to become a member of the Justice League for the Justice League animated series, but his inclusion was dropped from consideration during pre-production. Early dailies for Justice League included in the Justice League Volume 1 DVD set show a teaser preview with Impulse on the team. *Batman is often credited with providing Bart the nickname Impulse. This is erroneous as it was Bart who gave himself the name after Wally West accused him of being too "impulsive". Links *http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Bartholomew_Allen_II_(New_Earth) *http://www.comicvine.com/bart-allen/29-1680/ 4 Category:Teen Titans Members Category:White Lantern Corps Members Category:Former Black Lantern Corps Members